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A navy is the branch of a country's military forces principally
designated for naval
warfare and amphibious warfare namely lake- or ocean-borne combat operations and related
functions. It includes operations conducted by surfaceships, amphibiousships, submarines, and seaborne
aviation,
as well as ancillary support, communications, training, and other
fields; recent developments have included space related
operations. The strategic offensive role of a Navy is projection of
force into areas beyond a country's shores (for example, to protect
sea-lanes, ferry troops, or attack other navies, ports, or shore
installations). The strategic defensive purpose of a Navy is to
frustrate sea-borne projection-of-force by enemies. The strategic
task of the navy also may incorporate nuclear deterrence by use of
nuclear missiles.

History

Naval warfare developed when humans first fought
from water-borne vessels. Prior to the introduction of the cannon and ships with sufficient
capacity to carry the large guns, navy warfare primarily involved
ramming and boarding actions. In the time of ancient
Greece and the Roman
Empire, naval warfare centered on long, narrow vessels powered
by banks of oarsmen
(such as triremes and
quinqueremes)
designed to ram and sink enemy vessels or come alongside the enemy
Nublets so its occupants could be attacked hand-to-hand. Naval
warfare continued in this vein through the Middle Ages
until cannon became commonplace and capable of being reloaded
quickly enough to be reused in the same battle. The Chola
Dynasty of medieval India was known as a
one of the greatest naval powers of its time in the Indian
Ocean. In ancient
China, large naval battles were known since the Qin Dynasty
(also see Battle
of Red Cliffs, 208), employing the war junk during
the Han
Dynasty. However, China's first official standing navy was not
established until the Southern Song
Dynasty in the 12th century, a time when gunpowder was a revolutionary
new application to warfare

The mass and deck space
required to carry a large number of cannon made oar-based
propulsion impossible and ships came to rely primarily on sails. Warships were designed to
carry increasing numbers of cannon and
naval tactics evolved to bring a ship's firepower to bear in a
broadside, with
ships-of-the-line
arranged in a line of
battle.

The development of large capacity, sail-powered
ships carrying cannon led to a rapid expansion of European navies,
especially the Spanish and Portuguese navies
which dominated in the 16th and early 17th centuries, and
ultimately helped propel the age of
exploration and colonialism.The repulsion of
the Spanish
Armada (1588) by the English fleet revolutionized naval warfare
by the success of a guns-only strategy and caused a major overhaul
of the Spanish
navy, partly along English lines,
which resulted in even greater dominance by the Spanish. From the
beginning of the 17th century the Dutch cannibalized the Portuguese
Empire in the East
and, with the immense wealth gained, challenged Spanish hegemony at sea. From the
1620s, Dutch raiders seriously troubled Spanish shipping and, after
a number of battles which went both ways, the Dutch Navy
finally broke the long dominance of the Spanish Navy
in the Battle
of the Downs (1639).

England emerged as
a major naval power in the mid-17th century in the first Anglo-Dutch
war with a technical victory but successive decisive Dutch
victories in the second and third Anglo-Dutch
Wars confirmed the Dutch mastery of the seas during the
Dutch
Golden Age, financed by the expansion of the Dutch
Empire. The French Navy
won some important victories near the end of the 17th century but a
focus upon land forces led to the French Navy's relative neglect,
which allowed the Royal Navy to
emerge with an ever-growing advantage in size and quality,
especially in tactics and experience, from 1695. Throughout the
18th century the Royal Navy gradually gained ascendancy over the
French Navy, with victories in the
War of Spanish Succession (1701-1714), inconclusive battles in
the
War of Austrian Succession (1740-1748), victories in the
Seven
Years' War (1754-1763), a partial reversal during the
American War of Independence (1775-1783), and consolidation
into uncontested supremacy during the 19th century from the
Battle of Trafalgar in 1805. These conflicts saw the
development and refinement of
tactics which came to be called the line of
battle.

Historically a national navy operates from one or
more bases that are maintained by the country or an ally. The
base is a
port that is specialized in
naval operations, and often includes housing for off-shore crew, an
arsenal depot for
munitions, docks for the vessels, and various repair facilities.
During times of war temporary bases may be constructed in closer
proximity to strategic locations, as it is advantageous in terms of
patrols and station-keeping. Nations with historically strong naval
forces have found it advantageous to obtain basing rights in areas
of strategic interest.

Navy ships normally operate with a group, which
may be a small squadron
of comparable ships, or a larger naval fleet
of various specialized ships. The commander of a fleet travels in
the flag
ship, which is usually the most powerful vessel in the group.
Prior to the invention of radio, commands from the flag ship were
communicated by means of flags. At night signal lamps could be used
for a similar purpose. Later these were replaced by the radio
transmitter, or the flashing light when radio silence was
needed.

A "blue water
navy" is designed to operate far from the coastal waters of its
home nation. These are ships capable of maintaining station for
long periods of time in deep ocean, and will have a long logistical
tail for their support. Many are also nuclear powered to save
having to refuel. By contrast a "brown
water navy" operates in the coastal periphery and along inland
waterways, where larger ocean-going naval vessels can not readily
enter. Regional powers may maintain a "green
water navy" as a means of localized force projection. Blue
water fleets may require specialized vessels, such as mine
sweepers, when operating in the littoral regions along the
coast.

Traditions

A basic tradition is that all ships commissioned
in a navy are referred to as ships rather than vessels, with the
exception of submarines, which are known
as boats. The prefix on a ship's name indicates that it is a
commissioned ship. For example, USS is an acronym which expands to
United States Ship; in the Royal Navy, HMS expands to Her Majesty's
Ship (or when a King reigns, His Majesty's Ship), and so
forth.

An important tradition on board British naval
vessels (and later those of the U.S. and other nations) has been
the ship's bell.
This was historically used to mark the passage of time on board a
vessel, including the duration of four-hour watches. They were also
employed as warning devices in heavy fog, and for alarms and
ceremonies. The bell was originally kept polished first by the
ship's cook, then later by a person belonging to that division of
the ship's personnel.

Another important tradition is that of Piping
someone aboard the ship. This was originally used to give orders on
warships when shouted orders could not have been heard. The piping
was done by the ship's boatswain and therefore the instrument is
known as the boatswain's Pipe. The two tones it gives and the
number of blasts given off, signify the order given. It is also
used in a ceremonial way, i.e., to "pipe" someone aboard the ship -
usually captains, including the ship's captain, and more senior
officers.

In the United States, in a tradition that dates
back to the Revolutionary
War, the First Navy
Jack is a flag that has the words, "Don't Tread on Me" on the
flag.

By European tradition, ships have been referred
to as a "she". However, it was long considered bad luck to permit
women to sail on board naval vessels. To do so would invite a
terrible storm that would wreck the ship. The only women that were
welcomed on board were figureheads mounted on the
prow of the ship. In spite of these views, some women did serve on
board naval vessels, usually as wives of crewmembers.

By ancient tradition, corpses on board naval
vessels were buried at
sea. In the past this involved sewing the body up in a shroud
that had a weight at one end, often a cannonball.
(During the age of sail, the final stitch was placed through the
nose of the victim, just to make sure they were really dead.) The
body was then placed on a pivoting table attached to the outer
hull, and shrouded by a national ensign. After a solemn ceremony,
the board was tilted and the body dropped into the deep. Later
ceremonies employed the casket or crematory urn.

The custom of firing cannon
salutes originated in the British Royal Navy.
When a cannon is fired, it partially disarms the ship, so firing a
cannon for no combat reason showed respect and trust. The British,
as the dominant naval power, compelled the ships of weaker nations
to make the first salute. As the tradition evolved, the number of
cannon fired became an indication of the rank of the official being
saluted.

Naval organization

Navy ships

Historically, navy ships were primarily intended
for warfare. They were designed to withstand damage and to inflict
the same, but only carried munitions and supplies for the voyage
(rather than merchant cargo). Often, other ships which were not
built specifically for warfare, such as the galleon or the armed merchant
ships in World War
II, did carry armaments. In more recent times, navy ships have
become more specialized and have included supply ships, troop
transports, repair ships, oil tankers and other logistics support
ships as well as combat ships. So long as they are commissioned,
however, they are all "ships".

Naval ship names are typically prefixed by an
abbreviation indicating the national navy in which they serve. For
a list of the prefixes used with ship names (HMS,
USS,
etc.) see ship
prefix.

Today ships are significantly faster than in
former times, thanks to much improved propulsion systems. Also, the
efficiency of the engines has improved a lot, in terms of fuel, and
of how many sailors it takes to operate them. In World War II,
ships needed to refuel very often. However, today ships can go on
very long journeys without refueling. Also, in World War II, the
engine room needed about a dozen sailors to work the many engines,
however, today, only about 4-5 are needed (depending on the class
of the ship). Today, naval strike groups on longer missions are
always followed by a range of support and replenishment ships
supplying them with anything from fuel and munitions, to medical
treatment and postal services. This allows strike groups and combat
ships to remain at sea for several months at a time.

Navy boats

Many people make the mistake of calling a ship a
"boat". The term "boat" refers to small craft limited in their use
by size and usually not capable of making independent voyages of
any length on the high seas. The old navy adage to differentiate
between ships and boats is that boats are capable of being carried
by ships. (Submarines by this rule are ships rather than boats, but
are customarily referred to as boats reflecting their previous
smaller size.) The Navy uses thousands of boats, ranging from
dinghies to landing craft. They are powered by either diesels,
out-board gasoline motors, or waterjets. Most boats are built of
aluminum, fiberglass, or steel. Newer Navy boats are designed and
built using the International System of units (also known as SI or
metric), but older craft were designed using the English units
system (feet, inches etc.)

Standard Boats A standard boat is a small craft
carried aboard a ship to perform various tasks and
evolutions.

Landing
Craft These boats, carried by various amphibious ships, are
designed to carry troops, vehicles, or cargo from ship to shore
under combat conditions, to unload, to retract from beach, and to
return to the ship. They are especially rugged, with powerful
engines, and they are armed. They are usually referred to by their
designations such as LCPL (landing craft, personnel) LCM (landing
craft mechanized) or LCU (landing craft, utility) rather than by
full name. The most common in today's Navy are the LCMs. there are
two types of LCMs. Both types have a power operated bow ramp, a
cargo well, twin engines, and after structures that house
enginerooms, pilot houses, and stowage compartments. The larger
version, designated LCM-8 and often called "mike 8", is long, has a
beam, and is capable of carrying a heavy tank or 60 tons of cargo.
The LCM-6 ("mike 6") is long, has a beam and a cargo capacity of 34
tons.

Landing Craft, Air Cushioned Known as LCAC also most commonly
called a hover craft. Floats on a cushion of air that allows travel
over water and land. It can deliver troops, equipment, and
supplies. They are long and carry a load more than 70 tons. Powered
by four gas turbine engines, they are capable of speeds as high as
.

Work Boats(WB) There are two types of WBs, the
and the 15 meter (or 50 foot). The WB is a twin screw craft with a
forward cargo well and a bow ramp. The WB is normally carried on
board salvage ships and is used to assist ships in salvage
operations, underwater exploration,coastal survey, repair of other
craft, and cargo transport between ship to shore. A portable "A
frame" is used to assist with cargo handling. The 15 meter (50 ft)
WB is a twin screw craft with steel hull construction and is a
shallow draft craft cargo carrier. The 15 meter (50 ft) WB is
intended for general purpose missions and transportation of cargo.
the craft has a pilot house aft and forward cargo well deck.

Rigid hull Inflatable Boats Known as the RHIB they are
versatile boats designed for service as a standard ship's boat. The
seven meter (24 ft) RHIB is a turbocharged, diesel powered craft
with a glass reinforced plastic (GRP) hull. The hull form is a
combination of a rigid planing hull with an inflatable tube. The
craft are manned by three man crew and are provided with a canvas
canopy forward.

Personnel Boats (PE) These are fast, V bottomed,
diesel powered boats with enclosed spaces specifically designed to
transport officers, although smaller types are used for shore party
boats, lifeboats, and mail boats. They come in 8,10, and 12 meter
(26,33, and 40 foot) lengths. The 8 meter (26 ft) boats have one
enclosed cabin. The 10 and 12 meter (33 and 40 foot) boats have
enclosed cabins forward and aft, and open cockpits amidships where
coxswains steer by wheel. Those designed for officers are painted
haze gray with white cabins. Those assigned for use by commanding
officers, chief of staff, and squadron, patrol, or division
commanders are called gigs and have a red stripe added just above
the waterline. Personnel boats assigned to flag officers (admirals)
are called barges. They have black hulls and a white stripes just
above the waterline.

Utility Boats These boats, varying in length from
to 15 meters (50 ft) are mainly cargo and personnel carrier or
heavy duty work boats. Many have been modified for survey work,
tending divers, and minesweeping operations. In ideal weather, a 15
meter(50 ft) UB will carry 146 people, plus crew. Utility boats are
open boats, though many of the larger ones are provided with canvas
canopies. The smaller utility boats are powered by outboard
engines. The larger boats have diesel engines.

Punts These
are open square enders, long. They are either rowed or sculled, and
are generally used in port by side cleaners.

Special Boats These boats, used by shore stations
and for special missions, are not normally carried aboard ships a
are the standard boats discussed above. They include line handling
boats, buoy boats, aircraft rescue boats, torpedo retrievers,
explosive ordnance disposal craft, utility boats, dive boats,
targets, and various patrol boats. Many standard boats have been
modified for special service.

Mark V Special operations craft (SOC) This craft is also used
for insertion and extraction of special warfare personnel. The
craft is long, and has twain diesel engines driving waterjets. The
craft is capable of speeds in excess of and is air
deployable.

Patrol
Boats, River (PBR) This is a , , twin diesel boats with a
fiberglass hull and waterjet pump propulsion that permits it to
operate in of water. The PBR is highly maneuverable and can reverse
course in its own length. It carries radar, communications
equipment, and machine guns

Navy units

Naval forces are typically arranged into units
based on the number of ships included, a single ship being the
smallest operational unit. Ships may be combined into squadrons
or flotillas, which may
be formed into fleets. The
largest unit size may be the whole Navy or Admiralty.

Naval ranks

A navy will typically have two sets of ranks, one
for enlisted personnel
and one for officers.

Typical ranks for commissioned officers include
the following, in ascending order (Commonwealth
ranks are listed first on each line):

"Flag officers" include any rank that includes
the word "admiral" (or commodore), and are generally in command of
a battle
group or similar flotilla of ships, rather than a single ship
or aspect of a ship. However, commodores can also be temporary
positions. For example, during World War II, a Navy captain was
assigned duty as a convoy commodore, which meant that he was still
a captain, but in charge of all the merchant vessels in the convoy.
The most senior rank employed by a navy will tend to vary depending
on the size of the navy and whether it is wartime or peacetime, for
example, few people have ever held the rank of Fleet Admiral in the
U.S. Navy, the chief of the Royal
Australian Navy holds the rank of Vice Admiral, and the chief
of the Irish
Naval Service holds the rank of Commodore.

Marine troops

During the era of the Roman
empire, the naval forces included legionaries for boarding
actions. These were troops primarily trained in land warfare,
and did not need to be skilled at handling a ship. Much later
during the age of sail, a component of marines
served a similar role, being ship-borne soldiers who were used
either during boarding actions, as sharp-shooters, or in raids
along the shore.

The Spanish Infantería
de Marina was formed in 1537, making it the oldest current
marine corps in the world. The
United States Marine Corps became a separate arm in the United
States military, with their own equipment. However the U.S. Navy
SEALs and the BritishRoyal
Marines now serve a similar function, being a ship-based force
specially-trained in commando-style operations and
tactics as part of the navy. The Royal Marines also have their own
special forces, the SBS (Special
Boat Service); similar to the US Navy SEALs and the Boat Troops
of the SAS.

Etymology

"Navy" came via Old French from Latin navigium =
"fleet of ships" from navis = "ship" and agere = "to drive" (as in
driving a herd of animals) or "to get something done".

"Naval" came from Latin navalis = "pertaining to
ship" (which it means in the biological name Teredo
navalis), but due to resemblance became changed to "pertaining
to navy".

See also

References

External links

NOSI (Naval Open Source
Intelligence) - a digital library of world naval operational
news, curated from open source intelligence, and intended to serve
as a source of continuing education on naval and military affairs